The spring is fast approaching and thoughts are turning to the lighter nights, the arrival of lent and no doubt to the new seeds and plants and the preparative digging for the garden and allotments.
Being an allotment holder myself, I know it’s a back breaking time, especially if you have clay soil like mine, more suited to modelling pots from than growing things in. Even so, I know I am a lucky one.
The number of people desperately seeking allotment space is at a record high. The Allotment Society reports conclusively show the demand completely outstrips the supply of allotment space throughout the country. Not really surprising with the current economical climate and a renewed desire to go back to basics, a cause championed by a number of celebrity chefs. The phrase of “knowing where our food comes from” is one bandied about with such frequency; one begins to wonder if there is anyone in the country who doesn’t know where their food comes from!
It is a welcome change however, and nice to know that more and more people are keen to buy something that was grown two miles up the road more than something grown in Kenya, flown here, stored for x weeks and then sent out the shops (no doubt with any flavour or nutritional content long since depleted).
As part of this change in thought, the desire to grow your own has taken over and the resources for such are few and far between.
Today’s news report by the National Trust further backs this up with the Trust reporting a collaborative effort with Landshare to provide up to 1000 new allotment plots by 2012, an initiative to be commended and supported.
Spareground also offers opportunities for advertising or seeking land or unused gardens for such purposes and hopefully one day, we can collaborate with the bigger groups such as Landshare and the National Trust to promote this.
For now, we can at least provide an additional source for such listings and keep our fingers crossed that it too will generate its own momentum and interest.
www.spareground.com
I am off to France tomorrow so no blog entries for a few days.
Until next time,……
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